Buenos Aires Dirty War Tour: Historical Journey through Argentina's Dark Years

Embark on a historical journey through Argentina’s dark years with the Buenos Aires Dirty War Tour. Explore the park of memory, the infamous ESMA center, Recoleta cemetery, Plaza de Mayo, and end with a visit to Caminito in La Boca.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Parque de la Memoria - This park is a tribute to the thousands of individuals who were killed by the dictatorship during the Dirty War. I will guide you through the history of this somber period.
  • Espacio Memoria y Derechos Humanos ex Esma - This former navy training school was a site where thousands were tortured and killed. We will explore where prisoners were held and tortured before being drugged and thrown to their deaths from military aircraft.
  • Plaza de Mayo - Located in the heart of the city, we will visit Plaza de Mayo. Here, the mothers of the Plaza de Mayo gather weekly to remember their children who went missing in the 70s and 80s.
  • Espacio para la Memoria ex CCD “Club Atlético” - This former clandestine center operated in the basement of what was once the Federal Police supply service. Over 1,500 people were kidnapped and tortured here. The original building was demolished to make way for a motorway.
  • Monumento a Combatientes de Malvinas - A memorial dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Falklands War in 1982.
What's Included
  • TripAdvisor Experiences brokerage fee
  • Local taxes
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Discover Argentina’s history with an English-speaking guide who will lead you through this somber chapter of the nation’s past. Explore the Park of Memory to learn about the thousands who vanished during the harsh dictatorship of the 1970s and 80s.

Visit the ESMA center, once operated by the navy, known as one of the most infamous sites for torture and disappearances.

We will also stop by the Plaza de Mayo, where the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo have held marches every Thursday since 1977. Additionally, we will visit the Falklands War Memorial at Plaza San Martin.

  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • Dress code is smart casual
Location
Parque de la Memoria
Avenida Costanera Norte Rafael Obligado 6745,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(9 Ratings)
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Bayley_g
Jun 25, 2024
An emotionally-heavy and perspective-altering day - My mom and I took this tour together, and Howard was an excellent guide! This tour is great for anyone interested in learning more about the Dirty War and the historical, political, and economic context in which it took place. Visiting the ESMA museum is a life-changing and emotive experience that we likely would have missed otherwise, and Howard re-formatted other parts of the tour based on what we had already done in Buenos Aires and what we wanted to do. He was thorough in answering our questions, and created a helpful background on the topic. We were so happy to have had this opportunity!
Review provided by Viator
Samantha_p
Mar 12, 2024
brilliant, haunting - I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in Latin American history, U.S. history, the Cold War, fascism--or just Buenos Aires. We learned so much and Howard was a very engaging and informative guide. He took us to sites that we would have missed on our own, including the ESMA prison and the memorial to the desaparecidos in the northern part of BA. I will never forget this tour --thank you for a very special and unforgettable day!
Review provided by Viator
Laurie_w
Nov 21, 2023
Above and Beyond! - Howard is an amazing guide! We booked this tour on a holiday so the main museum was closed. Somehow, Howard’s explanations made us feel like we were there. Because we couldn’t visit the main museum, we visited other sites. The tour was based on our wants and needs. Plus, I was traveling with my elderly mother. Howard went above and beyond to accommodate her physical limitations. Based on our experience with Howard, I would recommend this tour and company to everyone!
Review provided by Viator
Christina
Jan 8, 2023
Excellent tour of Argentine history and culture! - We had an excellent time with our guide, Duchan, who was very knowledgeable. He took us around in his comfortable car and was a good driver. He offered to let me borrow a hat because it was a very sunny dqy in BA. Having a private tour focusing on this specific niche of history very informative, yet we also got to visit a wide range of culturally significant sites. We didn't have a long visit in town, but we got to see all the historical highlights. Thanks, Duchan!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Candace
Sep 5, 2022
An Experience Which Shines Light on Argentine History - Howard provided an excellent tour. He is very knowledgeable about Argentine history and he is a native English speaker. I particularly enjoyed the tour of the Memorial Park, but the visit to Ricoletto Cemetery was also filled with narratives about the way the wealthy or notable citizens lived. It is intriguing in terms of what it reflects in the culture. Finally, Howard provides auto transportation, a welcome relief to the tours of scouting out a guide at a street corner.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tonya_s
Jul 6, 2022
It was a very meaningful... - It was a very meaningful and informative tour. We were able to see many places in Buenos Aries and learn about the history. Howard was a very attentive and friendly guide. We not only learned about the Dirty War period but also talked about other current cultural topics. I took this tour with my teenage daughter and we would both recommend it!
Review provided by Viator
758howard
Oct 5, 2021
great experience - a few of my students did this tour and were amazed,thankyou so much,they learnt so much,they want to recommend to anyone who loves history and culture
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roslyn_b
Jan 3, 2020
Fantastic Tour - John was an impeccable tour guide. He was prompt and professional, knowledgeable, and provided insight that we would not have been able to get if we hadn't taken the Argentina's Dirty Wars Tour. His commentary was compelling; i was moved to tears multiple times during the tour. What i particularly appreciated was his objective, non-judgmental delivery. He answered, clearly and concisely, all of our questions about Argentine culture. John customized our trip based on the fact that we had seen a number of sites that were originally included in the tour. I can't recommend him highly enough.
Review provided by Viator
Kate
Nov 17, 2019
highly recommended - informative and enjoyable tour with, smooth logistics - We had a wonderful Dirty War tour with John, who is incredibly knowledgable on Argentina's political, social, economic and cultural landscape. We learned so much and felt comfortable to ask John all of our questions about the sensitive period in Argentina's history. He was a pleasure to spend time with, a skilled tour guide and historian, and a fantastic chauffeur around the city. This experience is a GREAT way to see many of the important and most relevant sights which are spread out and far away from one another around the gigantic city of Buenos Aires... I don't think we could have seen everything in 1 day without doing this tour. John picked us up from our accommodations, and from that moment on we didn't have to think about anything else except enjoying ourselves. He was also flexible to customize the tour slightly to our preferences. I highly recommend this tour by Buenos Aires Taxis Private Tours.
Review provided by Viator
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